Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa®
first opened August 29, 2011 in the Ko Olina resort area on the leeward coast
of Oahu, Hawaii. Inspired by the natural
beauty, culture and traditions of Hawai’i, this beautiful resort was designed
with families in mind. Sharing a
secluded lagoon with the JW Marriott resort, and another future-resort that is
still to be developed, Aulani is situated on 21 acres of oceanfront property,
with spectacular views.
The resort is
comprised of both traditional hotel accommodations and Disney Vacation Club
timeshare villas. There are 359 hotel rooms, including 16 suites, and 460
villas comprised of deluxe studios, one and two bedroom villas, and 21 three
bedroom Grand Villas (18 of which directly overlook the ocean).
The resort
towers surround the Waikalohe Valley,
which comprises the various water and recreational amenities. These amenities include:
- Waikalohe Stream – an exhilarating yet
refreshing waterway meandering throughout the Waikalohe Valley.
- Menehune Bridge – an interactive water
play area which features interactive water elements, 3 slides and a climbing
structure
- Two sparkling
pools & four unique hot tubs
- Two
waterslides, Tubestone Curl – an inner tube slide for 1 or 2 guests at a time,
and Volcanic Vertical – a single rider body slide
- Rainbow Reef – a snorkeling experience
at the largest inland snorkeling reef on the island (this is a fee-based activity)
- Makai Preserve – a conservation lagoon
where guests can interact with stingrays and other marine life (this is a fee-based activity)
- Pau Hana Room – video gaming, foosball,
board games, storytelling, TV viewing area and arts & crafts (some but not
all activities are fee-based)
- Aunty’s Beach House – this fun-filled
destination for the kids is a place of discovery, magic and exploration where
kids can learn about the Hawaiian culture while they play. Supervised playtime at Aunty’s Beach House allows
mom and dad the opportunity to spend some adult time on the beach, at a
romantic dinner or any other excursions of their choice.
- Located
directly across the street from the resort, is the Ko Olina Golf Club, and
discounted greens fees are available for resort guests.
The resort
features several unique places to wine and dine. These include:
- ’Ama ‘Ama, a table-service restaurant offers spectacular ocean-front views
for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Seafood is plentiful on the menu, along with traditional Hawaiian
specialities.
- Makahiki, offers an all-you-care-to
enjoy breakfast and dinner buffet, and features a character breakfast, Aunty’s Character Breakfast at the Makahiki,
currently offered on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. The food selection includes a generous mix of
Hawaiian, Japanese and Chinese fare.
- One Paddle, Two Paddle, is a
counter-service location with a variety of delightful Hawaiian dishes, fresh
made sandwiches and wraps.
- Off the Hook is a colorful, pool and
beachside lounge designed after a Hawaiian fisherman’s seaside shack, and
features libations and appetizers.
- The ‘Olelo Room is a pub-like gathering
place where visitors can learn a variety of Hawaiian words while enjoying
favorite cocktails.
- The Lava Shack is located in the heart
of the Waikalohe Valley, and features cold fried chicken, cured meats &
cheeses and other grab & go snacks.
For the
adventurist looking to augment their beach vacation with some really neat, self-guided
Hawaiian “local color” - Aulani is not
far from many fun, exciting, and enjoyable destinations around Oahu. In the
mood for a Dole Whip? The Dole
Plantation is just 30 minutes away. Want
to catch some waves or go surfing on some of the best beaches in the world, the
North Shore, home of famed surfing competitions is just 45 minutes away. Looking for the stereotypical Hawaiian tour?
The famed beaches and experiences at Waikiki are just about an hour’s drive
from the resort. Hiking to the top of
Diamond Head, or through a rainforest?
Both are just about an hour’s drive from the resort. Of course the island is also home to numerous
historic sites, significant in how the world changed so dramatically one
December morning in 1941. The World War
II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor is only about 20
minutes from Aulani, and is a must-see for so many different reasons. This very moving site includes the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri, the USS
Oklahoma Memorial and the USS Utah
Memorial – plus a handful of Exhibit Galleries, Museums, artifacts and a
23-minute film discussing the attacks on Pearl Harbor that December morning.
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For those
guests looking to enjoy different aspects of Hawaii but choose to do so on
guided excursions, you won’t be
disappointed! Just as cruise ships offer
a plethora of land excursions on “port days” – Aulani provides similar
opportunities for its’ guests as well. The
range of offerings can change from time to time, but currently there are about
14 different excursions. Each day there are 1 or 2 different guided tours and
experiences for guests to select from. Costs range from about $50 per adult up
to about $400 per adult. These excursions can be reserved in advance on
Aulani’s website, or in person at the Holoholo Desk just to the left of the
Lobby. Excursion possibilities include
learning to surf, riding horseback through lush valleys, hiking in the
rainforest, setting sail on a catamaran or kayak along protected islets,
cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, island hopping to explore
volcanoes and so much more.
Were Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa®
to be located at the Walt Disney World® Resort, it would be considered
a Deluxe level. Transportation to and
from the resort is not provided. Guests
can arrange for their choice of rental car, shuttle, taxi or limo service. Rental Cars are highly recommended for a
variety of self-guided excursions, grocery shopping (for villas guests) and
other local visits away from the resort.